The Kid's all grown up

[Razor Shines]

Originally Posted by dougdirt

I have almost gotten into fist fights with a few different people at Reds games over giving Griffey crap before. Some of the things people say are freaking ridiculous. One guy said something to the extent of "why dont you just get hurt again and retire, that way I dont have to watch you suck every game".... I turned around and went nuts on the guy.... almost got thrown out of the game.

I can't believe people look at him like that. I don't get it. I still love watching the guy play. Like I've said before I could watch him hit batting practice all day.

[M2]

I can see where Jr.'s coming from. Professionally speaking his stay in Cincinnati has been a bad trip. He's been constantly injured. The team has fallen into its worst dive in 50 years. He's had revolving door managers and GMs. Everybody's frustrated and probably no one more than Ken Griffey Jr.

All things considered it sounds like he's in a situation a lot of folks are in. I imagine most of us would rather have a happy home life and view a well-paid job as a job rather than love our jobs and struggle on the homefront. Winning would probably cure some of that for him.

But Jr.'s been around for almost exclusively bad times and as I'm sure we can all attest, that sort of thing can weigh on you.

[Dunner44]

I really like Jr. He has some of the best work ethic on the team, and he leads by example, even if he might not be that vocal in the locker room. I agree with everyone that Cincinnati has worn on him. All the pounding he took on that astroturf, combined with an aging body is the reason he's hurt, not becuase he doesn't try or because he wants to piss off Cincinnati fans.

The way his injuries have been handled by the club and Doc. Hollywood hasn't helped his perception at all either. It usually sounds like Griffey is trying to come back and play and is prevented from doing so by the medical staff. Some comments last season about him trying not to rush himself, however, immediately make fans turn sour on him.

Griff is an enigma, and his kind of closed off personality can get to people. But he still is an amazing player, and I'm glad he's in Cincinnati. Sure I'd like him to play RF and bat lower than 3rd, but I'll take having him over not having Kenny any day.

[redsfan30]

Sometimes I wish there was a way to let him know that there are fans who truely appriciate him and what he stands for. It really breaks my heart that he has to deal with morons like that in his hometown.

[Grounds_Crew]

Originally Posted by redsfan30

Sometimes I wish there was a way to let him know that there are fans who truely appriciate him and what he stands for. It really breaks my heart that he has to deal with morons like that in his hometown.

That's probably why Cincinnati isn't is "hometown" anymore and why he considers it just his place of employment.

[MartyFan]

Originally Posted by Jpup

That was a good article, but I can't imagine Jr. saying those things about just working in Cincinnati they way the author worded it. That doesn't sound like him at all.

I have to say I can totally see Junior saying that and I don't hold it against him one bit. He came to this team because Pants painted a picture that he wasa going to return the team to the glory of the BRM and he and Larkin were going to be the center of it.

Then Pants and Lindner choked on "doing what needed to be done" and as a result, Junior and Larkin often have been vilified because of their contracts...don't forget that Junior gave the Reds a Discount on his contract when he came to Cincy.

I agree that most Reds fans only cared about him as far as his records and now that there is no chance of him getting the record they treat him like he is just any other player on the field...well, he's not, he's Ken "Freakin" Griffey Jr...potentially the greatest player to ever play the game...and we got to see him and have him on our team.

[Grounds_Crew]

Originally Posted by MartyFan

he's Ken "Freakin" Griffey Jr...potentially the greatest player to ever play the game...and we got to see him and have him on our team.

Very well said man. Even when Griff was out in Seattle, I always followed him and told my dad that Junior would some day be a Red. I still have my Mariners Starter Jacket, the Starting Line Up figures, over 250 baseball cards, you name it. Griffey was the Jordan of baseball in the 90's...and he's still my favorite player. I mean, he's the hometown "kid', ya know.

[vaticanplum]

Yeah, I agree too MartyFan.

There's a good possibility that Ken Griffey Junior is the single best player to happen to baseball in my lifetime -- on AND off the field, and the odds of that happening are astronomical. His honesty as displayed in this article is one of his finest off-field qualities, actually.

All told, he has a near-ideal attitude towards life from what I can tell. His parents done good.

[Nugget]

The you see the crap that Lonnie Wheeler puts in his column - he quotes two lines out of the whole article and then the crap that goes onto the blog. Although its good to see c.trent get in there and tell it like it is!

[Gainesville Red]

Still got the prettiest swing in the bigs.

[RANDY IN INDY]

That swing ranks with the best ever.

[15fan]

Eric Davis got treated pretty similarly.

What is it about folks in Cincinnati and the center fielder?

[George Anderson]

Originally Posted by 15fan

Eric Davis got treated pretty similarly.

What is it about folks in Cincinnati and the center fielder?

I think its the hype that both Griffey and Davis have received early in their career. Both Griffey and Davis were supposed to be the next Willie Mays. Had both of them not had injury plagued careers they likely could have been.

[Grounds_Crew]

Originally Posted by RANDY IN CHAR NC

That swing IS DEFINITELY the best ever.

I fixed it for ya!

[MartyFan]

Originally Posted by George Anderson

I think its the hype that both Griffey and Davis have received early in their career. Both Griffey and Davis were supposed to be the next Willie Mays. Had both of them not had injury plagued careers they likely could have been.

difference is that Junior was not HYPE...there was substance there...Davis was not going to be close to Willie Mays, He was good, nothing like Willie Mays but junior...Junior is the guy that would have replace the standard Mays set had he not been injured the last few years.